Triathlete Vicky Holland, a top-level female athlete, says that many elite athletes still have to leave their top-level careers to start a family because they don’t get enough support when they compete.
After giving birth to Emmie, Holland resumed playing in 2023. At the age of 38, she won the European triathlon championship the following year.
The former world champion claimed that British Triathlon provided her with good support, but that other athletes, in their opinion, were less fortunate with their respective governing bodies, which were less progressive.
“I spoke to a lot of women when I came back who were really curious about how I’d done it and how I was making it work,” said Holland, the first female triathlete to win an Olympic medal for Team GB.
Some were encouraged, but others remarked that if we want to have a family, we must retire.
” And that feels, in this day and age, like a really brutal decision to have to make. We shouldn’t have to choose, but it feels like we still do. “
Holland is a member of an organization called “Athletic Moms,” which offers support to new parents and a place to ask questions and get advice.
Jo Pinner, a GB hockey player, helped establish it in 2023, with funding from the UK Institute for Sport. 17 athletes compete in various Olympic and Paralympic sports, making up the group.
” The differences from sport to sport is quite interesting, “said Holland.
” Some elite sport policies aren’t up to scratch. “
Holland is passionate about this subject.
” Why are we, in 2025, still penalising women for having a family? “, the Rio 2016 bronze medallist questioned.
In 2023, UK Sport released enhanced guidance to enable pregnant athletes to rely on more and better support, fertility advice, and recommendations for breastfeeding.
However, UK Sport acknowledged that the guidance should be applied to all Olympic and Paralympic sports.
The statement read, “UK Sport strongly believes that raising a family and being an elite athlete should not be mutually exclusive.”
We are therefore committed to working with athletes and sports to ensure that the advice is put into practice as thoroughly and comprehensively as possible.
After having her child, Holland had to reclaim her position as the top competitor because her ranking wasn’t secured.
Only the top 55 of the world’s top 15 were able to automatically enter a race, despite the fact that she was ranked outside of the top 200.
She said, “It took me a long time and a lot of racing just to try to scrape together some points and then increase my ranking,” she said.
It almost seems like you’ve worked your entire career, leading to your current position as store manager, before returning from pregnancy and being paid basic again while carrying out the checkout. You’ve got to work your way up again. “
Women can now freeze their rankings from the moment they announce their pregnancy up until their child is two years old, according to a policy for elite athletes.
British Triathlon’s age-group team members are also eligible for a new pregnancy deferral policy of up to two years. These non-professional triathletes are age groups between under 19 and up to 80 and can compete for Great Britain.
Holland, who represents athletes on the British Triathlon board, welcomed this action.
They can return in their own time and attend the event where they qualified, according to Holland.
” And that’s really important.
Related topics
- Triathlon
Source: BBC
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